She's    Smart?
by MangoFreak
Summary: Wait, she's smart?" Hyde is shocked when he learns that Jackie is a well-known, successful journalist . . . See what happens when her latest story brings her back to Point Place . . .
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! Thanks for reading. I just want to mention a few things, but I promise I'll be quick about it. First, this is my first FanFic, so I'm not above begging for reviews yet! Second, I apologize for any mistakes. I'm only human. Third, I know a lot of the people may seem out of character, and I don't mean this as any disrespect to the characters because I LOVE them, I just want to show how they developed over the years, and I love the smart, badass Jackie! I also want to add that I was only recently introduced to That 70s Show, and the only seasons that I have seen all the episodes of are Season 5&6, so there may be some mistakes if I mention their history. Finally, enjoy! DISCLAIMER: I don't own That 70s Show. Shocker.**

"Which one was Jackie again?" Red asked when he got off the phone. Hyde tried not to choke on his bacon.  
>"She was the bossy little mean one," Kitty explained as she set a plate of toast on the kitchen table.<br>"Oh, right, the loud one. I liked her. Whatever happened to her, anyway?" Steven started coughing and quickly downed his OJ. He knew what happened to her . . . Because _he _happened to her. It was Sam, and Chicago, but also Jackie and Kelso. He still hadn't processed any of it, and he wasn't about to anytime soon.  
>"Apparently, she's some kind of celebrity." Kitty said, buttering her bread.<br>Of course. Hyde thought. She was probably some evil prostitute who only got hired by people like the president.  
>"Bob told me that Jackie is some kind of famous journalist." Hyde couldn't believe what Mrs. Forman was saying.<br>"Wait, she's . . . Smart?"

Kitty gave her signature laugh. "Now, Steven-" Hyde was saved from a long lecture by the phone ringing.  
>"That'll be Jackie," Red said, smirking. He knew what had gone on between Steven and the loud one, and after Steven was such an ass, he was bound to create some drama when Jackie got back in town . . . In about five hours.<p>

Hyde heard her arrive before he saw her. Well, maybe he didn't really hear HER arrive, but he heard her arrival, since there was a loud commotion. Hyde refused to move from his seat on the porch, but he was more than tempted to. There was no way in hell that Jackie was really a journalist, unless it was for one of her hopeless, shallow fashion magazines, and he had to see it to believe. Did his friends have to have such big heads? They were blocking his view.

Kitty and Fez's enthusiastic voices practically vibrated through the house as they greeted Jackie with lots of hugs and kisses, as if she were their long-lost love child returning from the war. Although unheard over the more bubbly people, Red, Kelso and Donna were excited too; Hyde wondered if they never realized what their faces REALLY gave away. Eric and Donna were home for the weekend, since Donna was uncharacteristically wired up about Jackie's visit. Hyde kept wondering if there was something else about her that they weren't telling him . . . Why else would Red actually have a smile on his face? Why else would Eric not be totally miserable with seeing the devil's spawn?

After a few moments, the greetings were all over. Eric was civil, verging on friendly, but Hyde could see the glimmer in his eye that gave away how happy he really was to see Jackie. Or was it just the fact that for once the whole group would be together again? It was a mystery. Jackie stood talking to the group while leaning against her car and using animated hand gestures. Hyde couldn't hear what the conversation was about, but he convinced himself he didn't care, even though everyone, including Kelso, was at rapt attention. It had to be something good. Hyde watched Jackie interact with the group, and he was strangely fascinated by how serious her face became as she finished her tale. Something was different about her, he just couldn't put his finger on it. Was it because there was no arrogant hair flipping? Maybe.

It was only when Jackie arrived on the porch carrying a small suitcase that she noticed Hyde.  
>"Steven!" Jackie said, smiling sincerely. She dropped her carry-on and leaned down to give him a warm hug before straightening. Hyde was pretty much screwed after that.<p>

How could he _not_ be? He sadly still found her touch, and her smell, intoxicating. Her embrace felt familiar, comfortable. Her smile was genuine and her eyes seemed to scan his, trying to convey a message that went something like, 'I know we messed up, but I've moved on so you should, too.'  
>Hyde scanned her quickly, taking in her tight jeans, worn, genuine-leather cowboy boots, and her black tank top that revealed a few centimeters of her still-perfectly-flat midriff. Damn. He wish he didn't find her so sexy. It was definitely different from her old look . . . But some different clothes didn't prove that she was a different person. Hyde was still contemplating whether that was a good or a bad thing.<p>

"Uhh, Jackie. Hey. What's . . . Up?" Hyde replied, trying to think fast. He had to remain Zen, but it was pretty damn hard with Jackie, who was shallow, self-centered, and bossy, but looking like someone who was calm, down-to-earth and . . . well, not HUMBLE, but not full of shit, either.  
>"I'm so glad to be back!" Jackie squealed. "I missed you guys." Jackie gave Hyde another hug without thinking twice. This one was quicker but Hyde was sure it was just as genuine. Who was this girl?<p>

Ever since her latest story led her to Point Place, Jackie had been stressing about her return to her hometown. Granted, she was excited to see her old friends again and catch up, but she wasn't sure how it would go. She had moved on from Hyde, and she knew he wouldn't hang around waiting for her . . . But she kept wondering whether he still carried his anger with him. Jackie wouldn't be able to live with herself if Steven still had a grudge against. She kept trying to convince herself that he must've eventually believed Michael, and let it go, but it wasn't like Steven to be easy going when it came to betrayal and abandonment. He pretended to be all Zen and careless, but they all knew he was much more hurt than he let on. It was Jackie's belief that the more hurt he got and the less he tried to show it, the longer it lasted, and the deeper it ran. Sure, she'd changed majors from Psychology to Journalism, but she still remembered a few things. Taking Fez's advice, Jackie had stopped worrying and just did what felt right. She and Fez, after their 94 minute relationship, became even better friends and kept in touch. He was the only one of her old friends that she had kept up-to-date with on her career as a freelance investigative journalist. It seemed like an odd mix, but it basically meant that she got to travel a lot, dig up dirt, and sent the story to whichever newspaper or blog paid her the most. But, Fez, and most of her other friends, new and old, were oblivious to how . . . Respected she was in the media industry. Jackie had always dreamed of becoming a celebrity, but had given up on that around the time she gave up the cheer squad. Steven had really helped her branch out and become less shallow, and she would be forever grateful for that. Sure, she had appeared to go back to those things after their breakup, but once she got to Chicago, she re-examined her life and her goals, and somehow ended up at NYU. After a series of internships following her graduation, Jackie got a job at the New York Press Page, a small newspaper company hoping to go big soon. The schedule wasn't for her so, with the contact she had built, she went freelance. It was a mystery how she had ended up in journalism, though. Sure, her creative writing class had been the only one she actually liked, but back then, she didn't care, because her master plan was to marry rich.

"How have you been?" Jackie said, sitting down in the seat next to Steven.  
>"Uhh, good, I guess. I'm a bar manager now, at The Groove 2.0."<br>"Does the original Hub even still exist?" Jackie asked, voicing her thoughts.  
>"Yeah, and its still exactly the same. Most of the town is."<br>"Really? I made a promise that I would visit once a year, but . . . Well, I wasn't sure what I would come home to. It scared me a little." Jackie had learned that being honest about her thoughts was the perfect way to get others to open it. It almost always worked when she was interviewing someone . . . Would it work on Steven?

"Whadya mean?" Hyde asked, frowning slightly. Did she mean that she was worried everyone would be totally pissed off at her? Or did she not consider them worth coming home to? Why couldn't she just say what she was thinking?  
>"I guess its because I felt like I had abandoned everything and everyone here. I didn't want you guys to think that I thought that Point Place was now below my standards or that I was too busy with my life or whatever. I knew I'd have a few explanations to make, and the more I stalled, the harder it became to come back. But I'm glad that I did."<br>"Is it?"  
>"Is it what?"<br>"Below your standards now?"  
>"No! No way. I know you probably won't believe me, Steven, but I have truly changed. The high school me would've left and never returned, because she wouldn't want to be considered small-town anymore."<br>"And the new you?"  
>"She is thrilled to be back." Jackie said, smiling. She gave Steven's knee a small pat as she stood up, unaware of how it affected him. As he watched her strut to her car, he saw her with new eyes. Or tried to, anyway. Her hips still swung when she walked, and her boots still had ridiculous heels, but there definitely was something different about her.<p>

"Tell them about Ojai!" Fez said excitedly as he grabbed the salad bowl from Jackie.  
>"Fez! I wasn't done with that yet,"<br>"Sorry." Fez said sheepishly, handing it back to her across the table.  
>"So . . . Ojai? Where's that?" Donna asked after, to their surprise, Jackie didn't jump right in and tell her story.<br>"Its in California; its a really beautiful place. I was doing a report on how some towns' tourism industry are increased because of nearby nature reserves. I had to actually stay in the nature reserve. . ." Steven stopped listening to Jackie talk after awhile; not because it wasn't interesting, because it was, but he was too busy staring at her and trying to figure her out. Where was her power suit? Her handsome, rich husband? Her . . . Bitchy side? It was bound to be in there somewhere. Hyde wasn't sure whether to trust the new Jackie or not; was it really her? Or was it an act? There was no way in hell that Jackie could've changed THAT much . . . Was there?

"Thanks for the dinner, Mrs. Forman." Jackie said, giving the small woman a hug. Jackie had always loved that Mrs. Forman was a little bit shorter than her, since, that way, she wasn't the only midget.  
>"Don't mention it! We are just so glad to have you back." Kitty said. "Now, I left some clean sheets on your bed, I'm sorry that I didn't have a change to change them yet."<br>"Wait, she's staying . . . _Here_?" Hyde asked, following them into the kitchen.  
>Jackie grinned but ignored him. "Oh, no, that's fine. I just really appreciate you guys taking me in while I find a place to stay. I figured my investigation will take at least eight weeks."<br>"Do you really need to find a new place? Laurie won't be back for . . . Well, let's just say a while."  
>"I'd love to stay with you guys the whole time, but I think it would be too much of a disturbance."<br>"No! Why?" Kitty asked, distressed. She wanted all of her babies back home, and maybe if Jackie stayed with them for a little while, she'd think about moving back permanently.  
>"Its just my job. I'm usually out really late, or making some kind of noise that I promise is work related but still as annoying as hell."<br>"Oh, really? Well, we can talk about it." With that, Kitty laughed and trudged out of the room.  
>"'Just your job' my ass. Admit it, Jackie, you're a party animal now," Hyde smirked as he got a beer out of the fridge. Jackie sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed the beer out of his hand when he passed, grinning mischievously.<br>"Jackie-" Hyde warned, trying to reach for his beer.  
>"Not so fast, Steven! You weren't a gentleman, so go get your own one now."<br>Hyde sighed and rolled his eyes, but said nothing as he begrudgingly walked back to the fridge. He returned to his seat, and Hyde had a second to ask himself what the hell he was doing. Was he going to have a civil conversation with his ex-girlfriend, when their relationship had always consisted of either fighting or kissing?


	2. Chapter 2

Yes. The answer was yes. Hyde didn't WANT to be nice to Jackie when their relationship still had so many unresolved issues, but the new Jackie had so many interesting and SMART things to say. It was one of the only political conversations he had ever had with Jackie.  
>"So, what you're saying, is that its unnecessary for there to be so many dead commies? That they didn't deserve to die?"<br>Jackie took a sip of her beer and started speaking animatedly, gesturing as she defended her opinion. "No. Well, sort of. See, the war didn't have anything to do with us, but we chose to get involved to save face for not helping out enough during World War II. It wasn't our business to meddle, but we did anyway, and so many lives were ended unnecessarily. It would've been over in two years, max, if we didn't get involved. Fight your own battles, you know?"  
>Damnit. She had a point. But someone would have to hold a gun to his head before Hyde would admit it . . . Hell, he probably wouldn't even admit it then, nor would he admit that in order to make a good point in a political debate, she would have to be smart and know stuff. "Interesting. But we couldn't have just left Vietnam to exhaust their own resources against itself, could we?"<br>"Yes, because they would've realized they were ruining their country and opening themselves for an offensive attack from whichever country got to them first. I mean, Korea would've been glad for a little more land, as would a lot of other countries. Most of which had the military capabilities to overthrow the Vietnamese government, whether they chose to declare another war or play dirty and find a way to manipulate Vietnam. If we had let things play out, there would've been a lot less blood on our hands."

"Damn, Jackie's looking GOOD." Kelso said excitedly, the first one to speak once they were in the basement and gathered in the Circle.  
>"I can't believe she's so . . . Intelligent," Donna said, thinking how it just wasn't fair. Donna was attractive, but Jackie's petite curves made her the hotter one by most people's opinions. Donna had always had the gift of . . . Well, basically, she just didn't piss people off when she spoke. But now Jackie was even prettier, and she had so many interesting stories. From what Mrs. Forman had said, Jackie was some kind of writing superstar, while Donna was still working towards her degree. She had ended up choosing literature as her major, but changed back to media studies once she found out she would be getting her own radio show as Hot Donna once she graduated. Since Eric's teaching salary pretty much sucked, her income would help immensely, and the royalties from writing a book wouldn't do.<br>"She is amazing," Fez said simply, without his old 'Its my dream to do her' tone. Was it because they had dated . . . And failed? Or was it because . . . Actually, that was the only reason Donna could think of, and that pissed her off. She grabbed the joint from Fez before Eric had a drag. "You know, its really unfair, when you think about it. I mean, I love Jackie, bu-"  
>"Alright! Girl-on-girl, man!" Kelso interrupted excitedly.<br>"Eric, you lucky sonuvabitch, you get a threesome!" Fez said, mirroring Kelso's its-Christmas-morning expression.  
>"Let me finish!" Donna said, taking one more drag before finally giving Eric a shot. "Jackie is an awesome person. But its not fair that she's so awesome! She has it all."<br>"Not all. She doesn't have Steven," Fez said.  
>"So? Neither do I," Donna said, not seeing the point, but too high to really care.<br>Eric tried to explain things to his fiance. "Donna, I think what Fez is trying to say is . . . She doesn't have love so whatever other crap she's doing is meaningless."

"It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. And it was so strange, because I was there on spring break, but I ended up having this incredibly breakthrough. When I came back to NYU . . . I don't know; it was as if I saw things in a whole new light. I think that really inspired and motivated me to change my major from business to psychology, which, of course, got me into journalism." Jackie finished her second beer. She was talking too much, and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. Her defense mechanism had always been to talk and talk, but the last thing she wanted to do was make it obvious that she was still kind of nervous. "Anyway, I'm tired of my voice, and I'm sure you are, too. Tell me about you."  
>"Nah, I'm boring."<br>"No, you're not. Well, only in comparison to me," Jackie said, jokingly, playfully flipping her hair. It took a second for it to register with Hyde that she was joking about something that the old Jackie would've said with arrogance and over-confidence. Who was this girl?

"Hey, where are you guys going?" Eric asked, stifling a yawn as he laid his cards on the kitchen table. Literally; he was playing poker with Fez, Donna and Hyde.  
>"We're going to get some drinks." Jackie said, smiling.<br>Donna wondered what trick Kelso had up his sleeve. He was obviously into Jackie AGAIN [or was it STILL?], and he wouldn't let any opportunity slide when it came to women, unless he had a 'back-up' girl somewhere. "Jackie, its like, twelve-thirty."  
>"That's why we're going NOW, before the bars close. Any of you wanna join us?" Jackie asked, taking a cigarette out of her pocket and lighting it with a 'Gone To Maui' Lighter.<br>"She was in Maui?" Hyde asked, not realizing he had said it out loud. He was still a little euphoric, considering they had just finished another Circle before starting their game.  
>Jackie laughed good-naturedly. "Yes, she was, and it was fabulous. But this is your last call for a legend night on the town,"<br>"I have to see this," Hyde said, discarding his cards on the table. "Sorry, Forman."  
>"Me too. I am sorry, Eric." Fez said, finishing his beer and brownie in a second flat before joining 'Jackie's group.'<br>"Donna? Eric? You guys coming? It'll be fun, I promise."  
>"Oh, what the hell," Donna said, making the decision impulsively. She hadn't had a good night out in ages, and she was only twenty-three, so she deserved to have some old fashioned, crazy, drunken fun.<br>"I'd love to, but I have to teach, on, uhm, Monday."  
>"Eric, its a Friday night. You wanna sit at home by yourself or have a kick ass time with your friends?"<br>"Uhm, Jackie, I don't know if I'd call you my 'friend,' but-"  
>"Just get off your skinny ass and live a little," Jackie said. Her comment made everyone think of something Hyde would say. How was Jackie now such a bad-ass?<p>

"Just look at her, Eric." Donna said, trying to hide her envy as she watched Jackie talk to her group of admirers. She was perched on a barstool, but for some reason, Donna couldn't detect any of her classic flirting tecniques, like giggling, or hair-flipping, or even a simple gesture like playfully hitting a guy's shoulder when he said something that was supposed to be funny but really wasn't. Jackie was leaning her back against the bar, her elbows supporting her as she had a REAL conversation with the guys. Donna knew it had to be a real conversation, because none of them were trying to kiss her. A few of them were sneaking looks down her shirt, but every guy did that, so it didn't really count.  
>"What? She's just talking to them," Eric said.<br>"Exactly. She's supposed to be the flirty, bubbly, giggly one! What will happen to our group if she's not any of those things anymore?"  
>"Well, we survived five years without her, so I'd think its safe to say that we can handle a new Jackie."<br>"But. . ."  
>"Speaking of butts, did I mention how cute your's looks in those jeans?"<br>"Eric!" Donna said, slapping his hand away when he tried to pinch her ass.  
>"What?"<br>"You need to focus?"  
>"On what?"<br>"On . . . On . . . I don't know." Donna pushed away from the pillar she had been leaning against and took a seat at a vacated table. The bar Jackie had picked was packed and obviously one of Point Place's hotspots. They were all curious as to how she, who hadn't been to Point Place in years, had known about it, to which she'd replied, 'I do my research.' Strangely, it was such a Jackie thing to say. Phrases like that now worked for her without being annoying. They were all still adjusting to the new Jackie, but Donna had to admit that she was a lot more fun than the old one.  
>"Donna, you're way better than Jackie," Eric said, making it clear to Donna that either her jealous emotions showed, or that Eric knew her really, really well. She'd go with the latter.<p>

"Hey, Jackie, let's dance!" Kelso said, pushing through the small crowd now gathered around her for just long enough to grab her hand and pull her off the barstool. Kelso knew it was a risky move, since Jackie's usual response to something like it would be, 'Michael! I'm not some slut that you can just drag around!' He was surprised, but knew he shouldn't be, when Jackie simply followed his lead to the dancefloor with a 'Whoo-Hoo!' And gleeful expression. Just the way he always wanted it.

"Hanging out! Down the street! Same old thing, we did last week!" Jackie sang along to her favorite song as she and Michael jumped and dance along with the beat and most of the other patrons. "This was such a hit in the 70s!" Jackie shouted over the music, still dancing. Michael had a really cute, goofy grin on his face. "I remember how we used to listen to this in the basement when we-"  
>"Made out?" Michael said, interrupting her.<br>Jackie laughed. Her friends hadn't changed, and she still loved them to . . . Well, not to DEATH, 'cause that's just silly. She just loved them all a lot . . . Even Steven. "I was going to say when we smuggled one can of Red's beer from the garage and had to share it between the six of us, but yes, that too!"  
>Kelso was thrilled with the new Jackie. She didn't mind when he referenced to their 'good old times' [AKA their fooling around &amp; dating] and she was even hotter when she was such a badass. He just hope she was up for more than dancing.<p>

"How are you not drunk?" Hyde asked as they made their way to the car. He and a half-sober Kelso were supporting a very drunk Eric, who had only had three beers. Fez was also pretty drunk, and was being chaperoned by an equally drunk but still fairly rational Donna. He and Jackie were the only ones still thinking completely clearly, and it almost made Hyde wish he was more like Forman and got a hangover because he smelt a can of beer. "You had, what, three shots and four beers?"  
>"Something like that, although I've learnt not to keep count. But if you can't hold your liquor after a week in Cabo, you don't stand a chance against the world."<br>"You went to Cabo?"  
>"Yeah, I visited Cancun, too, but it just reminded me of my AWOL mom so I bolted."<br>"What story did Cabo have?" Eric asked drunkenly, slurring as he stumbled over an inexistent crack on the sidewalk.  
>"Oh, no, I wasn't there for a story. It was where we had our celebratory week after graduation. Half of the NYU class of '84 spent their time somewhere in Mexico, while the other, richer half spent it in Brazil for what they called a 'cultural experience.' But lemme tell you, they went crazier than us. Five got busted for DUI, seven for substance abuse and possession, and three for something-or-the-other. Plus, one kid nearly died in a shark attack. Dumb surfers,"<br>"Hey, didn't we see that on the news?" Donna called from in front of them. Hyde couldn't help but wonder if EVERYONE was now eavesdropping on their conversation. It was up to Hyde and Jackie to make sure that their friends got into the Vista Cruiser without injuring themselves or others. While Hyde was pushing Fez into the front passenger seat, Jackie took a chance and grabbed the car keys out of Steven's back pocket. She was still a big flirt, just in a . . . Sexier, teasing, and less desperate way. Hyde straightened immediately when her hand slipped into the back pocket of his jeans, nearly hitting his head on the roof of the car as he did so.  
>"I'll drive," Jackie called, not even turning back to see his reaction as she walked to the driver's side.<p>

Four hours. She got four hours of sleep, and ended up looking even better than before. How the hell was that possible? Hyde was glad that he had on his trusty aviators, or Jackie might notice that he was staring at her. Fez had crashed on the couch in the basement, and Donna had either stumbled back home or stayed with Eric, Jackie was, obviously, in Laurie's room, and Kelso . . . Where WAS Kelso? Had he stayed with . . . JACKIE? The thought of it angered Steven, and he hoped no one noticed that his grip tightened on his fork.

Jackie noticed. She kept her eyes on her plate but darted a look at him every now and then. Was her presence pissing him off? Jackie wasn't an airhead; she knew they still had a few things to talk about. But the longer she stalled, the more time she'd have to think about what he'd say, and how she could defend herself, if the need came. Hyde would blame her because she went to Chicago and let Michael in her hotel room. Jackie would blame him because he didn't marry her, choosing a STRIPPER instead. She'd say, if only he had listened to her side of the story, and he'd say, if only she hadn't taken the job. There was so much that could've been but wasn't, and they were both to blame. Jackie knew their talk would turn into an argument, and they'd end up fighting again, like before they ever dated, but with the venom from broken hearts BECAUSE they dated. So, how could she initiate a conversation, knowing there's a chance that she and Steven will never talk again?


	3. Chapter 3

"So, uhm, where's Kelso?" Hyde finally asked, not being able to bite his tongue any longer. He did his best to sound careless and nonchalant and totally Zen, but he WAS only human, and he didn't like the failure of Zen statistics that popped into his head.  
>"Dunno," Jackie said, slowly chewing her piece of toast before swallowing. "Thanks for the breakfast, Mrs. Forman, but I have to go."<br>"Oh, no, are you late for your post signing people in to hell?"  
>"As a matter of fact, yes. Just remember, Eric, if you're not there by three, you might end up with the room with the worst view."<br>Hiding her smirk like Steven and Red, Kitty tried to keep the peace as well as she could by changing the subject. "Well, Jackie, where are you rushing off to now?"  
>"Oh, I have a few people to interview."<br>"But its only nine-thirty. And its Saturday. Don't they have better things to do?"  
>"Not really," Jackie took the opportunity to grab her purse and get the hell out of there. She loved the Formans, but she didn't like being babied anymore. She preferred diners to homecooked meals. Overall, she preferred to take care of herself. Independence suited her.<p>

"Of course I'm considering it. But Drew, listen, you have to give me some time. I know, and I intend to keep that promise, but-" Jackie was speaking in hushed tones on the phone in the kitchen, oblivious to Hyde, who was coming in through the sliding door. "No, of course not! Its nothing like th-" Jackie stopped talking when she noticed Hyde out of the corner of her eye, getting a beer out of the fridge. "Drew. Listen to me, I meant every word, you just have to trust me. I have to go, but I'll talk to you later, OK? Don't worry. You too," Jackie hung up, trying to look nonchalant.  
>Hyde knew she was trying to hide something, and he was very curious as to what it was. Before he could question her, Jackie joined him at the kitchen table, a beer in her hand. "Steven, could we, uhm . . . Talk for a minute?"<br>"Yeah. Sure." Hyde said, trying to work out what it was. He knew about one conversation they still had to have...But was this REALLY the time and place for it?

"We need to talk about what happened with . . . With Sam. And me and Kelso, too, or what you thought happened . . . I mean, you know now it didn't happen, right? But before you say anything, let me finish. I know its been years, but I feel like we left things on a really . . . Bitter note. I know there's no obvious tension between us, but I still don't feel like its settled."  
>Hyde took a deep breath and released it slowly. Jackie felt out of it, not believing she had just blurted it all out. It still stung, to mention that slut. She just had to pretend that it didn't.<p>

"Look, Jackie, I like to think that the past is left . . . Untouched. What happened, happened. That's it."  
>That's it? That's IT? A voice in Jackie's head shouted. Jackie ignored it and stayed composed on the outside, even though she certainly felt like she was crumbling on the inside. "I agree. So we're cool?"<br>"Yeah, we're cool."

"And that was it," Jackie said, finishing the recap of her conversation with Steven.  
>"So you're telling me, that after all these years, it only took a forty second conversation to fix things?"<br>"It was a bit longer than forty seconds, but yes." They all knew it was a lie. You don't just fix two broken hearts by pretending to be OK. The only way to fix it was to admit you weren't . . . But Jackie knew that neither she nor Steven were the type to pick the logical way out.

"You're going out AGAIN?" Donna asked, as Jackie bounced down to the basement to say a quick good-bye to her friends.  
>"Ooh, can I come?" Fez asked, excitedly. "There was this lady, and-"<br>Jackie laughed. "Sorry, Fez, but this is a work thing. And-" Jackie looked at her watch. "I'm already late. I gotta go. Don't wait up!" Jackie called as she dashed out of the backdoor.  
>"I wonder where's she's going. . ." Kelso said thoughtfully.<br>"Are you wondering enough to . . . Follow her?" Donna asked tentatively. They all knew that they all knew that they all want to follow her, and it was only a matter of WHO would bring it up before it was too late. The gang jumped up and ran to the Cruiser, nearly getting stuck in the basement door because they were all trying to get out at once. They all knew how crazy they were being, but none of them were quite sure how to handle New Jackie yet . . . And whether she was even REAL.

"OK, so you didn't have any other employees besides your son?"  
>"Nope, and I didn't need 'em."<br>"And this is going to be boring for you, but I just need to double check these facts . . . You had to close your store on the fifth of December, be-"  
>"The eighth."<br>"The eighth, got it. Because the Cards & Cake franchise opened a new store in Point Place?"  
>"Yeah. They didn't even have nice cards or balloons, and their carrot cake was dried out."<br>"How long were they in town before you had to close?"  
>"About . . . Nineteen days. Truth be told, business wasn't booming before, but I didn't need an edge back then. I was the only option for good-quality greeting cards."<br>"What are your future plans?"  
>"Dunno. I'll have to get a job that will give me a good pension. I plan on retiring soon, ya know. Had it all planned out; my son would run the shop, my wife could come back from her never ending 'week trip' to Miami, my daughter could GO to Miami. Or anywhere else. And best of all, I wouldn't have to work no more."<br>"What qualifications do you have."  
>"Not much. In my days, college wasn't all that popular."<br>"I see. What does your wife do?"  
>"Bakes. Cooks. Cleans. And complains. Well, she did all of that before she started longing for hotter weather."<br>"And your son? What are his plans?"

"What's she doing?" Kelso asked, trying to peer around the car blocking his view from Jackie, who was in some low-key, musty, dive bar.  
>"It looks like she's . . . Interviewing him. Huh, it really is work related. Oh, hide!" Donna said, noticing Jackie slide out of the booth.<br>"Yeah?" Hyde asked.  
>"No, not YOU, Hyde. We have to hide!"<br>They all ran to the Cruiser. The tires squealed as Eric drove their getaway car back home.

"Are you guys following me now?" Jackie asked, smirking as she picked up a piece of toast and buttered it. She had been out late again the previous night, so she hadn't had a chance to confront her friends. She'd give Fez and Kelso a piece of her mind later.  
>"What? No. What?" Eric replied, instantly flustered.<br>"Way to keep it cool, Forman." Steven said, rolling his eyes. "And we weren't following you, Jackie."  
>"What WERE you doing then?"<br>"We were . . .uhh . . ."  
>"We were buying some more popsicles. Isn't that right, Mrs. Forman?" Donna said, giving Eric's mom a pointed look. She and Red had just been silently observing their exchange.<br>"Oh, nooo, I am not getting involved in your little scheme."  
>"Scheme? What scheme? We don't have a scheme. I mean a scheme, mom? Really?" Eric said, eyes wide, even though stalking Jackie had been a one-time thing . . . As far he knew. There really WERE no schemes involved. Then again, no one ever told him anything.<br>"Oh, calm down, Eric." Jackie said, rolling her eyes as she finished her toast and stood up from her chair, that she had wedged between Red and Steven. "You guys can spy on me all you want, because I'm not doing anything illegal." Jackie forced herself to keep up with her cool exterior, because the secret she was hiding wasn't something she wanted to share, at least not yet. Jackie knew that by letting on that she was at risk of being exposed would certainly lead to some suspicion, and she would do whatever she could to keep things quiet.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Heyy So, first of all, thanks for reading, Second, you know what I really hate? When writers threaten you, like, 'I don't wanna post the next chapter until I have over _ reviews.' Sure, it's nice to know my story is entertaining people, but at the end of the day, I'm just writing for myself because I like it. Third, one of the big reasons I started writing this story was not only to see a badass Jackie or get over my writer's block, but to explore a new side of Jackie and Hyde. We've sort of always seen them either bickering or kissing, hating and loving each other at the same time. Here they're actually friendly, so I'm interested to see where this dynamic will take the story! Again, if I were perfect, like would be freaaaaaking boring, Fourth...Something I find really interesting. So Friends With Benefits and No Strings Attached are both about ...Well, you can figure it out. Now what I find funny [But you probably won't] is that Mila & Ashton starred together in T7S, and Mila & Natalie starred in Black Swan. And I wanna add that after watching the two movies back-to-back, I prefer Friends With Benefits. I just felt like it had more of a plot. But to each his own! Fifth, sorry for the long author's note, feel free to skip it. Just two more things: 1) I'm a very disorganized writer. I added a twist to this story because there was a scene I wanted to write and that is what it led to. I might end up hating it and re-writing this chapter, but here it is for now. WAIT, I'm still not done. This story may or may not be going somewhere, but I already have an idea of how to end it and an idea for a sequel that will pick up a few months later . . . so bare with me! I will be adding an OC soon. 2) Swearing. I'm kind of a hypocrite. Some days I wouldn't think about swearing, other days [Nights, mostly] I honestly couldn't care less. I guess what I'm trying and failing to say is that I'm not sensitive to hear swearing [or read it], and in an ideal world there would be a lot more swearing [That sounds SO messed up . . . It kinda is . . . ]. I mean, they're already high most of the time, what would keep them from swearing? But its just not really my nature, so yeah. DONE! Phew, this note really exhausted me and probably bored you. DISCLAIMER: Seriously? Do I even need to tell you that T7S isn't mine?**

"You're coming back next weekend, right?" Jackie asked, after receiving a hug from Donna and Eric, who were about to go back to Madison.  
>"Yeah, of course," Donna reassured her friend, before saying her good-byes to the rest of the group who was gathered in the driveway.<br>They all called a simultaneous 'Bye!' As Eric and Donna peeled away from the driveway, Jackie wasn't sure whether it would be easier or harder to keep her secret a secret without the whole group there.

The next morning, Hyde woke up at seven, to the sound of a knock on his door.  
>"What?" He called, instantly pissed off. It wasn't NATURAL for him to wake up that early. He wasn't surprised to see Jackie stepping into his room, but he WAS surprised too see what she was wearing; a cropped top that exposed her toned stomach, VERY short shorts and a pair of running shoes. He tried to look away, but he couldn't, so he did his best to avert his eyes to her face.<br>"What do you want?" Hyde asked, trying to keep his tone neutral, but coming out as grumpy.  
>"I just wanted to tell you to tell Mrs. Forman that I probably won't be home until later.<br>"Why don't you just tell her?"  
>"She and Mr. Forman are in Kenosha for something-or-the-other."<br>Hyde vaguely remembered Red telling him about it, but he was too distracted by how hot Jackie looked to really care. "Right. Uhh, where are you going?"  
>"Michael and I are going jogging, and then I have a few more people to interview."<br>"Oh, uhh, right." Hyde cleared his throat, his mind reeling. What should he say? He didn't want there to be an awkward silence. That was saying something, since any kind of silence suited him, no matter what the reason or vibe. But this . . . Jackie was different, so the situation was, too. Before he could even think of a reply, Jackie flashed him an almost flirtatious smile and sauntered out of the room, her hips with that same damn swing as usual.

Hyde hated to admit it, but he was pretty lonely. Mrs. Forman called and said they were going to be spending the night at a friend's place in Kenosha [although Hyde had a suspicion that they were actually spending the night at a certain cheap motel, since they weren't big fans of Kenosha . . .]. Kelso was off somewhere-or-the-other, maybe or maybe not still with Jackie [he had by now convinced himself that he didn't care either way]. Fez was busy being a creepy, straight hairstylist. Eric and Donna . . . Well, they were in freaking Madison, obviously. He was pretty happy when Jackie arrived home just after two, dressed in a pencil skirt and blouse that . . . Damnit. . . Accentuated her every damn curve.  
>"Hey," Jackie called absentmindedly as she passed through the basement.<br>"Hey, how did the interviews go?"  
>"Fine," Jackie replied, her voice sounding tired. Hyde looked over his shoulder and watched her walk up the stairs, looking drained. He was about to interrogate her further, but she was already gone. And he convinced himself that it was a good thing; the less they talked, the less a chance he had of getting . . . Strange urges again.<p>

He was lonely again. Hyde couldn't help it; there was no one to talk to. The Forman residence was not meant to be this quiet or peaceful; it wasn't natural. It just wasn't! Jackie finally came back downstairs at five, dressed in plaid boxer shorts and an oversized sweatshirt. Her hair was messy and her make-up smudged. Jackie noticed Hyde staring at her disgruntled appearance, but she ignored him until she had a cold beer in her hand. She hopped onto the counter next to the stove and rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me like that," Jackie insisted. "I was taking a nap, OK?"  
>"A nap?"<br>"Well, Steven, I don't have superpowers, so . . ." Jackie pretended to write an equation in the air with her index finger. "Oh, now I understand. That means I need to rest, so that I have energy. Its basic biology, my friend."  
>Hyde frowned. Why was she being so bitchy? They had been getting along pretty great. "Sorry I asked,"<br>Jackie realized she was being too much like her old self and tried to backtrack. She sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just so exhausted. This story keeps hitting dead ends, and making a U-Turn keeps getting harder and harder the more times I have to do it. The people I interview keep giving me crap. And it hasn't even been a week."  
>"What's it about?"<br>"Just a load of boring shit,"  
>"Like what?"<br>"Like-" Jackie was interrupted by a ringing phone she hopped off the counter and reached for the phone. Hyde watched as her body stiffened and her mouth turned into a hard, stiff line. Who was on the phone, and why were they making her so tense?

"Don't start. Please, not now. Because - no, no, don't start with that shit again! You know its not true. Oh what, you wanna come down here and see if I'm a liar? Go ahead. But the fact - No, don't pretend like trust has nothing to do with this. Will you never forgive me for that? What happened was - No, I'm not. Fine." With that, Jackie hung up. At the beginning of the conversation she had just been hissing her words, but by the end she had forgotten that Hyde was even listening.

"Who was that?" Hyde asked, avoiding eye contact that might reveal that he was actually curious.  
>"Work stuff. Like I said, its all just boring shit."<p>

/

The next three weeks were pretty uneventful. Hyde put it the occasional hour at The Hub 2.0, Jackie did her interviews, came home for a nap and then either went out for more snooping or partied. Hyde wondered when she actually got to the WRITING part of her story. Eric and Donna came down each weekend, and they were either being influenced to go clubbing or influencing the rest of them to go into The Circle whenever they got the opportunity. Fez and Michael were either at work or just hanging around, although Hyde noticed that Kelso was hanging around Jackie an awful lot. The only interesting thing that happened was all of Jackie's phone calls, from someone named Drew, at all hours of the day. It usually had her speaking in hushed tones and fidgeting, then acting like everything was fine when she got off the phone. Hyde was curious, but also concerned, because he had seen the dark circles under her eyes the few times he'd caught her without make-up, like when she came down for a snack after her nap.

And then something happened.

It was a Thursday. It started out normal enough, Jackie and Kelso going out for a jog, joining Steven and the Formans for a nice breakfast. They each went their separate ways. Jackie had finished all of her interviewing, so she went to her room to write. Hyde didn't know what happened, but twenty three minutes later she came down to the kitchen, looking like she had just seen a ghost. Her face was uncharacteristically pale, and her neutral expression seemed frozen in place.  
>"Jackie?" Kitty asked, a concerned look on her face as she pulled her latest batch of brownies out of the oven. Jackie didn't respond as she continued to shuffle slowly towards the door.<br>"Jackie?" Kitty asked again, louder. She walked to the small girl and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Jackie jumped at the contact.  
>"Oh, s-sorry, Mrs. Forman." Jackie said, her expression still not changing.<br>"What's wrong?"  
>"N-Nothing."<br>"Jackie, you're a horrible liar."

/

"So what did she say?" Donna asked, worried for her friend as Hyde relayed the afternoon's occurrence to her over the phone. Donna wished she could be there for Jackie, but she convinced herself that Jackie could cope for one more day without her.  
>"She just said, 'I really am fine.'"<br>"And?"  
>"And got the hell out of there."<br>"Where is she now?"  
>"Don't know. She's not back yet."<br>"Well, aren't you worried?"  
>Hyde sighed. Truth was, if this was the old Jackie they were talking about, he would've denied caring or being concerned. But the new Jackie was just too freaking awesome to lose, so he couldn't waste time on being all zen.<br>"Yeah. But I wouldn't know where to look; she's been to so many bars and clubs in here and Kenosha and-"  
>"Hyde, she's not the type to drown her sorrows in beer or cheap margaritas. She never was and definitely never will be."<br>"You sure?"  
>"I'm sure."<br>"Then I know where she is."

/

"Strong. Independent. I'm strong, I'm independent, I can get through anything. Strong, independent," Those were the words Jackie kept muttering to herself, as her mantra, as she rocked back and forth. There was a brisk chill in the air, her make-up was smudged, but she didn't care. She had much more important things - people - to think about. To consider. Much more important thoughts to process. She was pacing by the time she heard a voice calling her name. She had only been up there for forty minutes, having spent the rest of her day driving in and out of town, around it, stopping for nothing. Jackie was too numb to really think, or feel, or need anything.

/

"JACKIE!" Hyde called again, running to the water tower. He was relieved to see a dark figure, just a silhouette, really, frozen in place on the platform of their old hangout spot. He knew it was her, and he was happy. She was safe, and that was all that mattered to him.

/

Not that he'd ever let her know. He couldn't. Not even with the new Jackie, or at least not yet. When he reached the platform where his ex girlfriend was now sitting, he let himself express some anger to hide the fear that had taken a hold of him.  
>"Jackie, what the hell?"<br>Jackie looked up at Steven with tear-stained cheeks, mascara running down and leaving black streaks, ruining her perfect skin.  
>"I'm fine, Steven, you can go home. I'm fine." Hyde wasn't sure who she was really trying to convince, but there was no way that he'd be shaken that easily. Her hoarse voice gave away that she'd been crying for hours, as if he puffy, bloodshot eyes weren't enough already.<br>"You're obviously not,"  
>"But I will be."<br>"When? Just tell me what happened."  
>Jackie got to her feet and squared her shoulders, facing Hyde with a hard expression. "I'm not perfect, so just let me be sad. Don't try to fix me."<br>"But, Jackie-"  
>"Just go."<br>"I'm not leaving."  
>"Then I will," Jackie pushed past Steven and started climbing down the watertower, wishing she could do it gracefully.<p>

/

"Are you OK?" Kelso asked Jackie as they paused for a quick break. They jogged a little further and further each day, but not without stopping a few times.  
>"Yeah, I'm fine."<br>"Really?"  
>"No," Jackie admitted, surprising Kelso by being honest. "But talking about it won't help,"<br>"You sure about that? Like, this one time-"  
>"I'm sure, Michael, but thanks for asking."<br>Kelso wasn't sure whether to believe her. Old Jackie would've wanted to jabber away for hours, no doubt. But, for some reason, this Jackie seemed to have 'Caution: Fragile content' sign on her forehead. Which was strange, since the old Jackie pretended to be strong when she really wasn't. Kelso's logic told him that because that was true, the new Jackie must pretend to be weak but was actually strong...no, wait, that sounded wrong. She didn't pretend at all, she just felt what she felt and didn't mind if someone knew. They jogged in silence the rest of the way, which wasn't an odd occurrence. But what Kelso did find strange was that Jackie didn't join them for breakfast, when she was usually the first one to steal all of the bacon.

/

Friday night, when Donna and Eric arrived, Jackie seemed almost back to her new normal self. 'Seemed' being the operative word. Donna could still see some sadness in her eyes, which see recognized from the months following Hyde and Jackie's breakup.  
>As per usual, they spent the night at The Hub 2.0, where they were now regulars. Hyde got them a few cheap drinks after happy hour, but gave them no other perks.<p>

"You OK?" Donna asked as she approached Jackie, who was still only on her second beer three hours in.  
>"Yeah. What about you?"<br>"What about me?"  
>"How are you doing? We never really get a chance to talk about how you're doing at Madison."<br>"Good. I'm . . . Good. I'm just glad that graduation is only two months away. My final year has been a bitch so far."  
>"That bad, huh?"<p>

/

_Mrs. Forman - sorry that I'm away so early! I just want to tell you not to worry, I had a few things to do but I'll be back around noon._

"I wonder where she went. She's been acting really strange," Steven commented as he passed the note to Donna.  
>"I know. But she is such a hard-ass; wants to fix herself."<br>"I'm not broken, Donna." Jackie said, surprising everyone. It was a few minutes after eleven, and the kids were just finishing brunch while Kitty slaved away at making enough sandwiches to satisfy all of the men.  
>Jackie was wearing an all black outfit, from her black trench coat to her black high-heeled boots. The look pointed to one thing and one thing only, and her stone-faced expression led them all to the same thought. As always, Donna, as the closest to Jackie, was the first one who had the guts to speak up.<br>"Were you . . . At a . . .uhm,"  
>"Yes, I was at a funeral."<br>"Who's?"  
>"Now, Donna-" Kitty started, getting ready to lecture her son's girlfriend.<br>"No, its OK, Mrs. Forman. You all should probably know, since it'll be in the newspapers by Sunday at the latest. I was paying my respects to my father."


	5. Chapter 5

There was a collective gasp, before silence settled over the group. Jackie's expression remained unchanging as she waited for them to respond.  
>Kitty, doing her best not to cry, spoke up first. "Your . . . Your<em> father<em>?"  
>"Yup," Jackie said it so casually - too casually, really - that tipped everyone off that she had gone into her zen mode, which made Steven wish he had never taught her it.<br>"What happened?"  
>"Heart attack. It happened at night, and his cellmate was, coincidentally, in the infirmary, so he didn't have time to call for help until it was too late. They tried to revive him, but it . . . It didn't work." Finally, Jackie broke. She couldn't keep her cool any longer, and she realized she didn't have to. She was among friends - family, really.<br>Jackie let her tears fall and walked into the closest person's arms - wish was Michael. She didn't care, at that moment, who held or comforted her. Or what exactly they said or did. She just wanted to know that she had someone to rely on when times got tough. Someone who could just hold her let her cry and make sure she knows that she's loved. That's all Jackie had ever wanted, but no one had been willing to give it to her, until -

/

_Kelso._ She had, without hesitation, chosen _Kelso._ Hyde knew he shouldn't care, but he did. He tried and tried to convince himself it was only because Kelso was conveniently located in front of Jackie when she burst into tears, but it didn't work. He had too many 'what if' thoughts to believe otherwise.

_What if . . . Jackie and Kelso are fooling around? What if they're in love? What if Kelso is just using Jackie? What if -_

And he stopped himself after awhile, diverting his attention with something or the other. The fact was, Jackie had turned into a totally badass girl, but also somebody you'd appreciate to be friends with. Hyde hadn't been there for Jackie five years ago to voice the words she had wanted to hear and he had needed say. Now was a time to redeem himself and show her that she could lean on him whenever she needs support. But having Jackie turn to Kelso when Hyde was sitting right there was sort of a blow to the stomach. How could he show her that he wouldn't run back to Vegas the moment things got serious?

/

"I'd like to make a toast," Jackie said, standing up. She was still yet to smile, but having her 'family' comfort her the weekend had been a blessing and she was feeling a lot happier than before. Not smile-happy, yet, but definitely happier. Donna and Eric were leaving after the big Sunday lunch - or feast, really - that Kitty had prepared. Jackie wanted a chance to let them know she really appreciated what they'd done for her, especially since she regretted the times in the past when she'd taken things - and people - for granted. There had been so many opportunities to focus on better things, and so many opportunities to tell people how much they meant to her, but she had let them pass without even blinking. And that's why she'd always blame herself for losing Steven.  
>"I've obviously been having a rough time dealing with my dad's death. I think it was the fact that I never could fully wrap my head around the fact that he was in prison, and now he's . . . Gone. Before I start messing up my make-up, I just want to tell you all, hopefully without any awkwardness, that I truly appreciate you. It has meant so much to me to remember that I can always count on you to be there for me, and pick me up when I fall down." Jackie paused and took a deep breath, hesitating. Should she or shouldn't she? "Which is why it saddens me so much to say that I'm . . . Leaving Point Place."<br>The table erupted with noise, her friends protesting wildly.  
>"Look, I've had a terrific month back in my old hometown. But my story is going nowhere, so I have decided to abort it and go back to New York until I find my next story. And, as much as I'd love to stay, I also have other things to take care of."<br>This time, they remained silent.  
>"Jackie, are you sure? I'm sure there's another story somewhere . . ." Fez said sweetly.<br>"Yeah, and we have a newspaper. They would love if you could do a column or something-" Donna added, her voice carrying a hint of desperation.  
>"I'm sorry. I can't stay."<br>"But you have to give us a good reason," Michael said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
>"I'm sorry," Jackie said again, realizing how close she was to blurting it out. She made the executive decision to get the hell out of there. Her bags were yet to be packed, so she went upstairs and started throwing things into her suitcase, deciding the faster she left Point Place, the better.<p>

/

"Uhh, Jackie?" Hyde called tentatively as he knocked on her door.  
>"Come in." Jackie said, zipping her suitcase closed before turning to face Steven, glad she had managed to keep herself from shedding the tears she desperately wanted to be rid of. Leaving Point Place was the last thing she wanted to do, but all in all, the first thing she needed to do. "What's up?" She sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to her. Hyde obliged, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, but being careful not to sit too close.<br>"Well, I just wanted to . . . Say good-bye, I guess."  
>"That's all?"<br>"Well, I was also wondering . . . Is there nothing that could make you stay?"  
>Jackie deliberated her answer for a while. No, she was actually thinking about the question. Did Steven still care about her in that way? Or did he just like having the entire gang around again? He probably didn't see her as more than a friend, and she told herself it was for the best.<p>

"There is one thing, but it could end up being the reason for me leaving again. Look, Steven, I'm sorry. I have had the best time being back here, but . . . there are complications."  
>"Like what?"<br>Jackie, unable to take his intense gaze any longer, stood up and walked to the closet, checking that she had packed everything.  
>"I have other obligations in New York that I have put off for too long. I didn't really have the right to leave when I did, and the sooner I get back, the sooner I can fix things."<br>"Jackie, you're being really vague and its starting to piss me off,"  
>"Well, frankly, Hyde, I don't give a crap right now<em>.<em>"_ Hyde. She called me Hyde._ Steven thought, wondering why it hurt so much to hear his ex-girlfriend refer to him that way.  
>"No, you can't just avoid the question."<br>"What question? Oh, that's right, the one where you're asking me to tell you every detail of my life."  
>"I'm not. I'm just asking why you're not just telling me straight why you're leaving."<br>"Because its none of your damn business!"  
>"Well, I just assumed since you were trying so hard to be buddy-buddy with everyone . . ."<br>"What's that supposed to mean?"  
>"You and Kelso-"<br>"We what? We're just friends. Just like you and I are supposed to be."  
>"Supposed to be?"<br>"Yeah, well, you're not acting very friendly now, are you, Steven?"  
>"Don't turn this on me,"<br>"You're the one assuming that you need to know everything about me because we're pretending to be friends!" Jackie knew the volume of her voice was way too high for the intensity of the fight, but her emotions had escalated faster than it should've, as usual when it came to Steven.  
>"Pretending?" Hyde questioned, his voice low and his deep frown obvious, even behind his aviators.<br>"Yeah," Jackie breathed, sitting back down on the bed again. "We can't be friends, Steven. We're either gonna be fighting or kissing, and you and I both know that-"  
>"Fine. Have a safe trip," Hyde said, making his exit. His words cut through the tension in the room like nails on a chalkboard, to the extent that Jackie physically winced, feeling an all-too-familiar pain stab at her heart. Hyde regretted his flippant behaviour, but he ignored the bitter taste from his words that lasted on his tongue as he made his way to the Camino. He had to get away.<p>

/

Jackie was sitting on the basement couch, twisting the ring between her fingers. She took a deep breath before dialling the familiar number. She had to make this call before doing anything else.  
>"Andrew Paxton's office, Hayley speaking."<br>"Hi, Hayley, its Jackie. Is . . . Is Drew busy?"  
>"He's in a meeting, but he told me I could put you through if its urgent."<br>"Yeah, it . . . Kinda is." Jackie said, swallowing hard. She looked at the decent-sized diamond on the engagement ring. Was she really going to do this?  
>"Jackie?" Drew asked, his voice snapping her back to reality.<br>"H-hey,"  
>"Is something wrong?"<br>"No, I just need to talk to you."  
>"Oh." Drew said, pausing for a minute. "Have you . . . Made a decision?"<br>"I-I . . .Yeah. I have."  
>"And?"<br>"And . . . Andrew . . ."  
>"Oh."<br>"No! Let me finish. Drew, I love you. I truly do. But I'm not sure if I'm ready for this yet. I thought I was, because its all I've ever wanted, but I can't. Not yet." Jackie's voice cracked with emotion, but she kept herself from letting any tears fall.  
>"But J-Jackie . . . I gave you time. I gave you space. I . . . I-"<br>"I know. And I'm sorry, but I'm just not ready. But you have to know, it doesn't mean that I won't ever be."  
>"You know what, Jackie? I know I should believe you, but I don't. Mail me the ring, or keep it, I don't give a shit anymore."<br>"Drew . . . Andrew!" Jackie's lip quivered as she continued to stare at the ring through blurry eyes. She slipped it onto her finger and considered what she had just thrown away. Andrew had loved her. She loved him. He was ready to commit, and she should've been. What went wrong?  
>Jackie swallowed her tears the best she could and took the ring off of her finger. It was too late for any regrets.<p>

"Steven! Donna! I, uhm, didn't see you guys there," Jackie said, forcing a smile as she backed up a few steps. She wiped away the one tear that had escaped and wondered how much they'd heard. Jackie quickly ran a finger under each eye to remove any smudged make-up, but she knew it was no use. She could see it in their eyes; they had heard it all. They'd seen the ring, seen her cry, and heard her say 'I love you' to a man she'd never mentioned before.

"Who is he?" Donna finally asked, breaking the silence. Jackie wouldn't look either of them in the eye as she took a seat on the couch. Donna sat down next her, while Hyde slipped into his usual beat-up dining chair.  
>"He was . . . I don't know. Its complicated."<br>"Start from the beginning," Donna encouraged, eager to hear where this was going, but almost upset that Jackie had kept it from her.  
>"His name is Andrew Paxton. We interned together a few years ago and just hit it off. We were friends for a really long time before we started dating, and then it was just a few months before we got engaged."<br>"How is that complicated?"  
>"Donna, you don't get it. All my life I just wanted a big white wedding that I didn't think about the actual marriage part of things. Living with Dre-"<br>"You were living together?"  
>"Don't look so surprised."<br>"I'm sorry, I just didn't think you were the type to -"  
>"Yeah, well, I've done a lot of unexpected things, haven't I?"<br>"Yeah, yeah, you're right. So go on,"  
>"OK, living with Drew I realized that if I was with the right guy, I could be happy with getting married in a courthouse, as long as we got to be together forever. I didn't want that with him, but I kept telling myself that it was only a matter of time before I'd want to. I knew better. I know better."<br>"Why did you come back?"  
>Jackie cast a look at Steven before answering. "I had to rethink a few things,"<p>

_She loves someone else._ Hyde couldn't get over it. All of those phone calls . . . And he never caught on. He had suspicions, but he never thought she was actually engaged to someone. He'd been so stupid. All this time, he'd just been thinking of how nice it actually was to have her back. But she wasn't back for him; she was really just trying to get away from commitment.

"Is that why you wanted to go back?" Steven asked, finally finding his voice.  
>"What?" Jackie asked, wondering why his voice sounded so hard. Sure, they'd had a pretty tense fight, but Hyde didn't have to be upset anymore; he knew her story. He could move on now.<br>"Is he the reason you wanted to go back?"  
>"No," Jackie said, and Steven felt oddly hopeful. . .only to be let down again by her next words. "He's the reason I'm going back,"<p>

/

"Wait, what?" Eric asked.  
>"Yeah, man, she's gone," Hyde said, trying to play it cool.<br>"And she didn't even say good-bye? Damn, and after all the time we spent together." Kelso said, crossing his arms as he sulked.  
>"I don't get it," Fez said. "Why would she go back?"<br>"Yeah. I mean, they broke up. She could've stayed," Kelso insisted.  
>"Why do you care?" Hyde asked, frowning.<br>"Cuz . . . I dunno. Its Jackie, man."

/

"You have a visitor, Andrew," Hayley said, popping her head around the door.  
>"Who is it?" Andrew asked without looking up.<br>"Its Jackie,"  
>Drew's head shot up. So far, he'd managed to invest all of his time on work, instead of thinking about his ex-fiance. Unfortunately, no matter how many all nighters he'd pulled since their breakup two weeks ago, he was still heartbroken. He was sure that after 'giving her time and space to examine her feelings,' as she had claimed when she went on her next assignment, that things would turn out ok. That she'd realize that what they had was special. The real deal. At the back of his mind, he knew that she wouldn't say yes, no matter how many time she had to consider their future together. He just loved her enough to fool himself.<br>"So, should I . . . Send her in?"  
>Andrew ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "Yeah," He sighed. "Send her in,"<p>

/

Jackie was sitting nervously in the all-too-familiar waiting area of Drew's ninth floor office, fiddling with the hem of her dress. She still remembered all of the good times they'd had . . .

_**"Are you ready to go to dinner?" Jackie asked, leaning against the doorframe. Andrew looked up and smiled at his petite girlfriend. "Yeah, I just need to sign this paper . . . Oh, shit,"**__**  
><strong>__**"What?"**__**  
><strong>__**"I forgot to make us reservations," Drew frowned deeply, wondering how upset Jackie was going to be.**__**  
><strong>__**"I'll be right back," Jackie said, disappearing are the corner. He wondered whether she really would return, or if she was angry enough to ditch him. Andrew went back to his work and kept checking the clock. Finally, a few minutes after nine, nearly two hours later, Jackie came back. She poked her head around the door with a mischievous smile on her face.**____**  
><strong>__**"Come see," Jackie said, taking his hand and leading him to his waiting area. There, spread out on the floor, was a picnic, complete with a thick blanket, champagne and a few candles on the front desk.**__**  
><strong>__**They ate, talked, laughed, and even danced, until. They couldn't keep their eyes open anymore. Jackie made sure that they fell asleep on the rooftop, under the stars.**____****_

_**It was definitely one of her most romantic, spontaneous experiences, and a night she'd never forget, no matter how desperately she wanted and needed to.**__**  
><strong>_  
>"Mr. Paxton will see you now," Hayley said formally, as she did usually when there were other clients present who actually had appointments.<br>Jackie took a deep breath and let it out very slowly as she walked the familiar path to Drew's office. This wasn't gonna be pretty.

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it! This is the end of this story, but I'm already busy on the sequel :] So please review and tell me what you think of it; I know the storyline seems a little messy [Or am I just being a perfectionist?], and it doesn't get any better in the sequel, at least not yet! Anyway, I have another request for you guys; please go take the poll on my profile, or just comment in your review. I want to know whether you want Andrew & Jackie to stay together . . . Well, my story is going to end with Jackie/Hyde, but pairing them with other people could keep the story going for longer! I'm still not sure what I wanna do, so I need some inspiration! If you guys have any requests/ideas on what you want to see next, let me know! **

**Also, if you have any constructive criticism, e.g. You feel they're OOC, or I use certain words too much, [especially descriptive words!], or whatever, don't be afraid to speak up! And there are three other things I should mention: 1) I don't think I've mentioned Donna's hair color yet, but I preffered in red, so that's how I'm imagining it. I know its kind of bad that I haven't brought it up yet. But I was more concerned about other things. 2) I know I'm not mentioning the other characters as much, or any of their traditions like the circle, burns, etc. but I'm used to making up my own characters and stuff so I'm only still getting the hang of this FanFic thing. Third and finally, I haven't said anything about Brooke or Betsy, so here's the deal, just as a heads up about the sequel: Brooke will be there, but I'm cutting out the whole baby thing. Let's just pretend that Brooke & Kelso had a fling. End of story. Literally. So, umm, yeah, **_**THE END.**_

**DISCLAIMER: Dude, if I owned T7S, I'd be the reason for Ashton & Demi's divorce. DUH! ;] **


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